In the face of growing attempts by the Irfaan Ali administration to coerce government workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19, the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) yesterday condemned the moves as discriminatory, while saying that the decision to get inoculated must be voluntary.
“GPSU’s policy on this issue has always been and will continue to be that individuals be given adequate information and education on the Covid-19 vaccines and the decision to take a vaccine must be voluntary,” the union said in a statement, while adding that only vaccines approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) must be administered.
“Notwithstanding the support for vaccination efforts, GPSU acknowledges and will fiercely defend the rights of any citizen, particularly its members who refuse treatment and medical intervention as well as those who wish to keep their medical information confidential,” it added, while noting that these rights are enshrined in the Medical Practitioners Act and the Patient Charter of the Ministry of Health.
The union’s condemnation followed the implementation of the latest COVID-19 Emergency Measures, which restrict access by the unvaccinated to government offices and services to by appointments only. Government ministries and agencies have also been requiring their staff to be vaccinated, or produce negative PCR tests at their own cost weekly.
In a memo to its staff on Thursday, which was seen by Stabroek News, the Health Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Malcolm Watkins has stated that in accordance with the latest gazetted COVID-19 Emergency Measures, all staff attached to the Ministry and its subvention agencies were urged to be vaccinated.
It went on to state that those “Employees who refuse to be vaccinated” will be required to provide a negative PCR test from authorized private laboratories on a frequency which will be determined by the Ministry. Those vaccinated employees will as a result be expected to have their vaccination cards while at work.
Further it noted that contractors and vendors will be required to present their vaccination cards and Identification cards. The same rule applies for all visitors who wish to enter the ministry or its subvention agencies and as a result unvaccinated visitors will have to make appointments and will only be allowed when they present a PCR test done within 72 hours of their visit.
However, the GPSU called the announced measures discriminatory against those who do not wish to be vaccinated and an encroachment on citizens’ rights of choice.
The union argued that vaccination alone cannot stop the spread of the virus, saying it is evident around the world where many people die as a result of contracting the virus after being fully vaccinated.
Accordingly, it favours protocols for social distancing, disallowing the assembly of large crowds, frequent sanitization, rotation at workplaces, and limiting the number of passengers in the public transport system, while saying they could contribute significantly to reduction of the rate of infections and harnessing the spread of the virus. It also advocated for reintroduction of the curfew except for essential workers or exceptional cases where it is absolutely necessary and the evidence is available.
Noting that it has been informed that Ministries and Agencies have refused entry to their employees and told them that they must be vaccinated before entering the workplace and days away from work will be treated as no pay leave, the union denounced the decision as heartless.
As a result, it urged that both those pro-vaccination and anti-vaccination should denounced the latest measures as it argues that they go against the individual’s freedom of choice.
The union also called for support from the wider society, including trade unions, the Women and Gender Equality Commission, and the Rights of the Child Commission, saying that failure to act now can have long lasting socio-economic and psychological effects. “Failure to act now would result in serious and irreparable psychology, and socio-economic damage to individuals, their families and the work environment,” it added.
Other protocols in the latest COVID-19 Emergency Measures include the requirement that public transport operators show proof of vaccination in order to be allowed to ply their trade and patrons wishing to use restaurants and cinemas must do same.
In the gazetted order, its states in its interpretation that “vaccinated” means receiving at least one dose of any of seven vaccines currently being used around the world.
The Georgetown Public Hospital added its requirements to the list saying only emergency patients will be accepted without proof of vaccination.
In recent months no new measures had been added, the newest measures appear to be aimed at forcing higher vaccine uptake as just under 30% of Guyana’s adult population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
